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ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY 



OF THE 



First Parish, Sharon, 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

A SERMON, 

Preached on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary 
of the Formation of the Church, July 6, 1890, 

BY GEORGE WILLIS COOKE, 

Then Minister of the Parish. 



PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 



BOSTON: 
H. M. HiGHT, Printer, 
76 Summer Street, 
1903. 



THE LiBRARYOF 
CONGKESS, 

Two Copies Received 

JUN 6 1903 

Cupyngnl bnuy 



CLASS XXc. No, 

COPY B 



J 



Claim. 

27 Jl '03 



ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST PARISH, 

SHARON. 



JHHE history of a parish or church is, to a large extent, 
^ the history of .the men and women of whom it is 
composed, for their individuality enters into it as the larg- 
est element in determining its character, and in shaping 
the events in its existence. It cannot rise above their 
level of conduct and aspiration, nor can its real life be 
other than that which grows out of the genuine beliefs of 
its members. 

The country church may offer little that is of special 
interest to the consideration of the historian ; but out of 
it the true life of the community is being shaped to no 
small extent. In its own way it does as true a work, and 
a work quite as important, as that which is accomplished 
by the city church amid more conspicuous surroundings. 
It may be said of it, however, that it comes closer to the 
heart of the people, is more to them in the shaping of their 
characters, than the city church ever can be, large or pop- 
ular as it may be or widely famed. 

Whoever would know the real history of New England, 
and that which is most characteristic in the lives of its 
people, must turn to the parishes nestled all over the 
country, and study the minute details of their old and 
musty records. Nothing wonderful will he find ; but he 
will come upon that which has made the people of New 
England what they are, as he can §nd it nowhere else. He 
will find independence of thought, high moral purpose, 
integrity of character, sturdy love of liberty, and a manly 
refusal to submit to the dictation of priest or king. 



We may not love the doctrines of the Puritans, but 
we have inherited from them qualities of mental temper 
and moral purpose which are our best equipment in life. 
As we trace the history of religious life and thought from 
their time to our own we learn many things, that a steady 
process of growth has been going forward, that the sub- 
soil of our life of today we owe to them, that generation 
after generation has advanced along the lines which their 
deepest life indicated as the true ones for the development 
of Christian character, and that if we would go forward to 
better things in the future we must not cut ourselves off 
from the rich inheritance of the past. 

It is such considerations as these that make it worth 
our while to review the history of our own parish, not that 
we may boast of the things it has accomplished or of what 
our fathers did and were ; but that we may profit by the 
experiences of the past, and that we may gather new cour- 
age for the work of the future. If others have wrought 
well we have entered into their labors, and we owe it to 
their memories that their work does not fail because of 
our neglect or because of our want of faith. The more 
precious the inheritance the greater and more sacred the 
duty laid upon us to continue the work others have begun 
so well. 



In 1637 the town of Dorchester received from the 
General Court a grant of land stretching from its own 
territory to that of Plymouth Colony. It was called "the 
new grant," and it included the present towns of Canton, 
Stoughton, Sharon, and Foxborough, as well as parts of 
Dedham and Wrentham. Not long after this region began 
to be settled, and in 1707 it was formed into a separate 
precinct, though it was not organized until 17 16. A church 
was gathered in 1717, and a meeting-house was built at 
what is now called Canton corner. 

The settlement of the region contained in the present 
town of Sharon began during the last quarter of the 

4 



seventeenth century. The records of the town of Dor- 
chester for the year 1661 contain this entry : 

"Upon the request of sevrall of ye inhabitance of 
Dorchester for to erect a village at Pole plaine or ther 
abouts. It was voted that ye towne of Dorchester was 
willing to grant sufficient land at ye place afore sayed (if 
it be there) to acomodate twenty or thirtie families if soe 
many appeare suf^cient to carry on church and common- 
wealth worke and that they p'pound ther tearmes and 
agree with such as the towne shall appoint for that end : 

"Voted the same day that ye parties desiring ye vil- 
liage afore sayed repaire to ye select men in convenient 
time and p'pound ther termes and the selectmen are 
de-sired to attend ye same and p'pose it to ye towne for 
full conformation." 

As the Dorchester records do not again mention this 
project probably not a sufficient number of persons were 
ready to settle at Pole plaine to form the desired village. 
It is certain however, that before the end of the century 
farms were occupied and houses built. Tradition says 
that the first settlement was made near Wollomolopoag 
pond by a family of the name of Billings. By this family 
the old Billings tavern was erected, which was the first 
house of any pretensions in the neighborhood.* 

When the Stoughton church, now the Unitarian 
church at Canton corner, was formed in 17 17, two persons 
then residents of Pole plaine owned the covenant, and 
were among the twenty persons forming the first member- 
ship of that church. These were Joseph Hewins and 
Benjamin Esti, both of whom afterwards took a prominent 

*Ebenezer Billings resided here during the last quarter of the seven- 
teenth century and until his death in 1718. His son Richard graduated at 
Harvard College in the class of 1698, the first college boy from this town. 
In the diary of Judge Sewall, frequent mention is made of Billings' 
Tavern where the judge stopped on his circuits. Madam Sarah Knight 
gives a humorous account of her stay in this tavern on her horseback 
ride to New York in 1704. When Mr. Billings died, a eulogistic notice 
was published in the Boston News Letter. His gravestone in the West 
burying ground is the oldest lettered stone in Sharon. 

5 



part in connection with the parish formed at Pole plame. 
Others living in the same region became members of the 
Stoughton church ; but the distance from the meeting- 
house operated to limit the number joining the church as 
well as those attending the services held in the meeting- 
house. Owing to this difificulty of going so far to church 
the northerly part of the precinct, so early as 1727, sought 
to join with the southerly part of Dedham in forming a 
separate parish, which they secured a few years later. 

Tradition says that for several years meetings for 
religious worship were held in the Billings tavern. A 
meeting-house was built in 1737, though it was nothing 
more than a frame covered with clapboards, and with a 
floor laid. The pastor of the Stoughton church, Rev. 
Samuel Dunbar, made this record in 1737-38 : 

"July 23. This Lord's Day about 30 Families drew 
off from the Public Worship in this place to ye New Meet- 
ing House on ye Plain at Masspoag. Young Mr. Burnal 
preached among ym Ye Pord give grace & Truth in this 
town & precinct." 

In 1740 Mr. Dunbar chronicled the forming of a 
second church : 

"May ith. This evening the Chh. voted ye following 
Bretheren and Sisters of ye Chh. a Dismission and Rec- 
ommendation in order to be gathered into a Distinct & 
Particular Chh. in ye 3d Precinct of this Town : V^iz 
Joseph Hewins, Benjamin Esti, Peletiah Whittemore, 
Eleazer Puffer, Jeremiah P'uller, Joseph Hewins, Junior, 
John Noyes, Ebenezer Hewins, John Smith, Eleazer 
Hawse, Benja. Savel, Daniel Richards, Benj. Esti, Junior, 
Ebenr. Esti, Samuel Cowmings, Clifford Belcher, Elizabeth 
Whittemore, Mary Savel, Rebeckeh Esti, Elizabeth Puffer, 
Harriet Fuller, Hannah Hewins, Judith Hewins, Mary 
Hawse, Martha Esti." 

The establishment of a separate church, however, was 
not unattended with difficulties. The town and the old 
parish opposed the separation, and when a petition was 

6 



carried to the General Court they successfully resisted it. 
A committee, consisting of John Hixson and Benjamin 
Johnson, again represented the people with a petition for 
separation, in 1740; and in this document they distinctly 
set forth their reasons for wishing to have a parish of their 
own. They said : 

"Whereas, by the Providence of the all-disposing God, 
our lots are fallen to us at so great a distance from the Pub- 
lic worship of God in the iNorth part of the said town, 
that your petitioners cannot ever, without great difficulty, 
attend the public worship of God; Wherefore we have 
petitioned the town once and again, to be eased of the 
great difficulties we now labor under, but have been by 
them rejected, notwithstanding the great length of way 
which some of your petitioners live from the public wor- 
ship in the North Part, about eight or nine miles ; and in 
consideration of our great duty to attend the public wor- 
ship of God, not only ourselves, but by our families and 
children, which, by the blessing of God, are greatly in- 
creased ; Therefore your petitioners have of late petitioned 
this Honorable Court to be set off a separate Town or 
Precinct, but this Honorable Court did not see cause to 
grant the petition. The reason, as we humbly conceive, 
was the answers to the petition, which were wrong and 
erroneous." 

The petitioners then ask for a committee of the Gen- 
eral Court to investigate their needs, in order, as they say, 
"to see with your own eyes." They define the limits of the 
desired parish or precijict, and say that "since we have 
had preaching among us, it has encouraged some well 
minded persons to come and settle within the limits herein 
petitioned." They also say that "as your petitioners are 
obliged by conscience and law to attend the public worship 
of God, they have, by a free contribution, maintained 
preaching among themselves for a considerable time." 
While thTis providing for preaching they were still obliged 

7 



to pay the church tax to the parish with which thev were 
still legally connected. 

To this petition the town made answer that craft had 
been used by the petitioners, that the minister was owed 
by the town about eighty pounds, and that the town had 
built a road at a cost of a hundred pounds expressly to 
enable them to attend church. After the committee of 
the General Court had investigated, it reported in favor of 
forming a separate precinct. A bill to that effect, was 
passed, which was signed by Governor Jonathan Belcher, 
July 2, 1740; and the second precinct or parish in Stough- 
ton was thus formed. 

It would appear from the records of the first church 
that, while the town was opposed to the formation of a 
second precinct the members of the church were favorable 
to the demands for a separate church organization. They 
certainly dealt with the new parish and church in a most 
friendly manner. In 1741 Mr. Dunbar made this record : 

"Jan. 13, 1741-42. The Pastor & Deacons ye Dele- 
gates of ye Chh. assisted in ye Ordaining Council, & Or- 
dained ye Rev. Mr. Philip Curtis, Pastor of ye Chh. in ye 
2d Precinct began with Prayer, Mr. Nath. Walter, of Rox- 
bury, preached from Acts xx. 28. I gave ye charge, and 
Mr. Payson, of Walpole, gave ye Right hand of F"ellow- 
ship." 

/fhe next year this entry was made : 

"June 4th Stayed ye Chh. Voted to give to our 
Younger Sister Chh. in order to furnish ye Table of ye 
Lord among ym One Flaggon, 2 Tankards i Large Cup 
and ye Little Cups." 

The records of the church which was formed in 1740 
have long since disappeared, no one knows where. Some- 
thing of interest for us they must have contained, which is 
now lost past recovery. The records of the parish are yet 
in a good state of preservation, as is the record of bap- 
tisms, church admissions, births, marriages and deaths, 
and intentions of marriage, kept by Mr. Curtis. A part 



of the treasurer's book also exists, and several papers of 
interest and importance. These several documents, to- 
gether with other sources of information, contain material 
for a fairly full account of the organization of the parish 
and church, and their subsequent history. 

The first meetino- of the Second Precinct in Stou£:h- 
ton, as it was legally called, was held in the meeting-house 
July i8, 1740. John Hixon was chosen moderator, Jere- 
miah Fuller, clerk, and John Hixon, Joseph Everet and 
Jedediah Morse were chosen assessors. At a meeting 
held August sixth "it was voted that John Hixon, Eph- 
raim Payson & Daniel Richards be a committee to man- 
age the prudentials of the precinct. The same day it 
was voted that the precinct would maintain preaching in 
the meeting-house where it now stands, and that a tax of 
one hundred pounds be granted, to be Raised on polls and 
estates to support the same and other necessary charges 
arising in the precinct." 

The vote in regard to preaching in the meeting-house 
"where it now stands" is accounted for by the record of a 
meeting held September eleventh, when "a copy of a peti- 
tion of Ebenezer Billing, Samuel Billing and Elkanah Bill- 
ing and others was read, and the precinct voted that John 
Hixon, Joseph Everit, Daniel Richards, Thomas Randal 
and Jeremiah Fuller should be a committee to make an- 
swer thereto." P^vidently the place where the meeting- 
house was located was not central enough to suit all or 
there were other objections that do not appear on the rec- 
ords. At a meeting held December seventeenth "it was 
put to vote to see if it was the mind of the meeting to 
confirm the meeting-hous for the public worship of god in 
the place wher it now stands and it was voted in the afar- 
metive." Probably some feeling grew out of this question 
of location, for at the next meeting of the precinct Elka- 
nah Billing was elected moderator, but declined to serve. 
The persons desiruig the change of location lived within 
what is now the town of Foxboro. 

9 



The majority of the precinct having decided upon the 
location most desirable for their meeting-house, the pre- 
cinct proceeded to complete it and to use the fifty pounds 
already voted for that purpose. The next thing to be 
done was to secure a minister, which the precinct set about 
doing at a meeting held September third, 1741. Several 
persons had been heard with a view to setttlement, the 
names of which are given in the treasurer's book. These 
were Revd. Mr. John Ballantine, who preached in July, 
1740, Revd. Mr. Noah Clap, who preached in August and 
September, Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Gay, who preached the 
next five months following. It appears that Mr. Curtis 
preached his first sermon in the parish June seventh, 1741, 
and that after being heard for three months he was invited 
to settle. The record says "the same day the precinct 
chose the Rev. mr. Philip Curtice to be their mineter. 
the same day the precinct granted a gratuety of two hun- 
dred pounds to the Revd. mr. Philip Curtice to incurag his 
settiling among them, it was voted that the precinct would 
give the Revd. mr. Philip Curtice one hundred and fifty 
pounds anneally for his salery provided he settels with 
them as their minester." A committee was appointed to 
communicate to Mr. Curtis the wishes of the precinct, to 
whom he gave the following answer, after due considera- 
tion : 

"To the Committee appointed by the second Precinct 
in Stoughton to present me with their Call of me to the 
Pasteral ofice among them to be Communicated 
Honed and Beloved 

Since it hath pleased ye Soverign Jehovah in whose 
hands are ye harts of ye children of men and who inclins 
and disposes them as he pleaseth to incline your Harts to 
me (who am less than ye lest of all Saints) so as to give 
me so unanimous a Call to the work of the Evangelical 
ministry among you and you have made me proposalls for 
my setelment & Support with you I hereby signify to you 
that I do accept of your Call & of your proposals in it have- 



ing Duly Considered (as I have been abil) your call 
I am ready and willing to come & preach ye gospel to 
you as Christ shall enable me. I am willing to spend and 
be spent for you with this purpose I undertake the great 
work of the gospel minestry among you & expect a com- 
fortable support among you and that while I am sowing 
unto you spiritual things I may keep so much of your 
Carnal Things as shall be needful for me to support me 
in my office and now wishing and praying yt we may be 
mutual Blessings to each other & that the gospel may 
flourish among us and earnestly begging an Interest in 
your Prairs to god for me that I may be an able faithful 
& successful minester of Jesus Christ I subscribe my- 
self your servant in the work of the ministry 

Philip Curtis Roxbury Novr 30th 1741." 
Having settled a minister, the parish fell into even- 
going ways, and the records show little that is of special 
interest. At each spring meeting the minister was voted 
his salary and fire-wood, and the usual precinct officers 
were elected. Three or four times during the next few 
years requests were made by one or more persons to be 
set off to some other precinct or town. The land given 
by the Dorchester proprietors for ministerial purposes was 
a frequent subject of consideration, and the "improve- 
ment" of it was given to the minister. This land, 
called "Renolds misery meadow," was given by the propri- 
etors of Dorchester for the support of the ministry in 
this precinct, and it was long used for that purpose. 

Another subject that exercised special attention was 
the completion of the meeting-house. In 1744 it was voted 
that the places for sixteen pews be sold to the highest bid- 
der, and that those paying the highest taxes should have 
the preference in bidding. The committee having this 
matter in charge reported : 

"We the subscribers Being chosen a comtee by ye 
second precinct in Stoughton, to sell the places in their 
Meeting house for sixteen pews To the highest Bidder, 



according to a vote of sd precinct passed August ye Eight 
1744 : We therefore appointed the twenty second Day of 
ye same month for the sale of sd pews and according met, 
and each particular place was Bid upon seperate (or by 
its self) and the names of the persons that Bid the high- 
est, and the sums they Bid {in old Tenr) and the places 
they chose are these which follows : viz — 

£ s d 
Mr Benja Johnson 12 o o, at the Right hand of the 

Great Door 
Mr Nathl Coney 12 o o, at the Left hand of the 

Great Door 
Mr Joseph Everet 12 o o, at the East of the Minis- 
terial Pew 
Mr I'^benezer Hewins 12 o o at the Right hand of the 

East Door 
Mr Samll Comings 12 o o Between Mr. Everets and 

Mr Hewins 
Mr Thomas Randal 11 15 o The middle place in the 

Row to the west side 

of the west Door 
Mr Ephraim I^ayson 11 00 Next to ye stares on ye 

East side of the House 
Deacon Benja Savell 10 o o at the Right hand of the 

pulpit 
Mr Jeremiah Belcher 6 15 o Next to ye stares on the 

west side of ye house 
Mr Daniel Richards 615 o at ye Left hand of the East 

Door 
Mr Stephen Hawse 650 Next to Dn Savell at ye 

Right hand of ye pulpit 
Dea Jeremiah Fuller 6 5 o in the west Corner of the 

house 
Mr John Hixson Junr 6 10 o at the left hand of the west 

Door 
Mr Ebenezer Capen 600 Between Mr. Johnsons and 

the stares 



Mr Clefford Belcher 5 10 o Between Mr Coneys and 

the stares 
Mr EHjah Capen 5 10 O at the Right hand of the 

West Door 
In October of the same year five hundred pounds 
were voted for the purpose of completing the meeting- 
house, plastering the walls, casing the windows, building 
stairs into the galleries, finishing the galleries for use ; 
and this work was undertaken by John Hixson and Eph- 
raim Payson. At this meeting it was also voted that the 
money provided by the town for school purposes be di- 
vided into three parts for the three districts that day es- 
tablished. For several years persons were appointed "to 
take care to prevent the children from playing in the meet- 
ing house in ye Time of public Worship." Why this was 
ne'^essary is explained by a vote of 1749. "that the boys 
under 16 years of age be ordered to set in the Three hind 
seats in the side galary." One other action may be noted, 
under date of October 15, 1764 : 

"Voted (togeather with the Revd mr. Curtis's con- 
sent) that the time of the intermition on the Lords Days, 
one year from the tenth of Sepr. 1764, be as follows viz : 
6 months from ye 10 of Sepr. to ye 10 of March 1765 : 
shall be one Hour: & from ye 10 of sd march to ye 10 of 
Sepr. next shall be one hour & a half." 

At a meeting of the precinct held March 20, 1765, it 
was voted to have an article in the next Town-meeting 
warrant "To see if the Town will set off ye 2d Prect. m 
sd Town to be a distinct Town-ship or District." May 
28 appointed a committee "to Solicit ye great & general 
Court of this provce to see if sd Court will set off the sd 
prect as above sd to be a Distinct Township or District by 
our selves as sd Court shall Order." The General Court 
granted the request, and town of Stoughtonham was cre- 
ated with every town privilege except that of electmg a 
representative to the General Court, which it was obliged 
for several years to share alternatively with the mother 

13 



town. From this date the parish and the town were iden- 
tical for many years. 

Having traced briefly the history of the parish or 
precinct we may turn back to that of the church, which 
was organized in May, 1740, with twenty-five members. 
Benjamin Savell and Jeremiah Fuller were the first dea- 
cons. Although the church records have long since dis- 
appeared the covenant of the church has been found 
among the papers of Mr. Curtis as written by him on the 
fly-leaf of a hymn-book in a small hand, and with many 
contractions and abbreviations. It is in these words : 

"The Covkn.wt. 

"You do acknowledge the God of your fathers, the 
living and true God, to be your God, and do give up your- 
self to Him as your Creator, to love Him, obey Him, de- 
pend upon him and be happy in Him .'' 

You do acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, the only 
and eternally begotten Son of God, to be the only Savior 
and Redeemer, and do give up yourself to him, to be saved 
from the guilt of your sins and from-the wrath of God ? 

"You do acknowledge the Lord Jesus to be the alone 
source of the work of Redemption, and do give up yourself 
to him to be sanctified, comforted and guided to glory .'' 

"You do acknowledge us to be a true church of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and do give up yourself to us to be 
watched over and edified in the holy faith unto salvation .''" 

In the absence of the church records we learn one 
other fact worthy of mention, that Joseph Hewins was a 
Deacon in the Stoughton church, and then its leading 
elder. Early in 1720 that church "proceeded to vote for 
an Elder, and the vote fell on Deacon Joseph Hewins — a 
very clear vote." From the action taken three years later 
it would appear that he did not at first accept, for in 1723 
the church meeting voted 

"That the church make a fresh application of their 
request to Joseph Hewins to accept the Office of a Ruling 

14 



.Elder in the church, accordingly such request was directed 
to him by the Pastor." 

The Ruling Elder had equal authority with the minis- 
ter, and he directed his attention especially towards the 
pastoral care of the church. It was a very important 
position, and one that showed marked religious gifts and 
the special confidence of his brethren. Joseph Hewins 
was a selectman in Stoughton, and held other positions of 
trust. Having held these relations to the church in 
Stoughton it seems curious that he was not made a deacon 
in the second church. Is it possible that he was made the 
ruling elder in the church of the second precinct .' Joseph 
Hewins was born in 1668, and died in 1755. He has been 
described as "a tall, spare, grand, and dignified man, who 
stood in the pulpit with the minister." 

In every New England parish in the eighteenth cen- 
tury the minister was the chief man, and he was identified 
•with all its interests. In giving the biography of the 
jminister the history of the parish is produced. It is from 
this point of view that we must look at the life of Mr. 
Curtis. He was the son of Samuel and Hannah Curtis, 
was born at Jamaica Plain, October 4, 1717, entered Har- 
vard College in July, 1734, took his degree in 1738, became 
a church member under the Rev. Dr. Bowman of Dor- 
chester, January 6, 1739, "^^^ studied theology with this 
pastor of his youth. He began preaching in Sharon in 
May, 1 741, was ordained January 13, 1742, and was married 
^o Elisabeth Bass of Dorchester, September 6, 1744. In 
the first year of his settlement Mr. Curtis bought of Nathan 
Clark forty acres of land, for which he paid two hundred 
and sixty-five pounds. On this land he built a parsonage 
which was burned in 1758. Probably in the same year it 
was rebuilt, and a collection was taken in the first parish 
to aid him in so doing. This second house built by Mr. 
Curtis is that now known as "the Pollard House." 

In May, 1762, Mr. Curtis lost his wife ; but two years 
later he was married to Elisabeth Randal. By his first 



wife he had six children, and by the second five. He 
carefully provided for them all, gave them a good educa- 
tion, and sent them forth into the world honorable men 
and women. Mr. Curtis in large part educated his own 
children, he taught gratuitously the children of his parish- 
ioners, and he also prepared boys for college. He was a 
man of scholarly tastes, and there now exists among his 
papers a work on practical geometry, especially with refer- 
ence to the construction of sun-dials. It is well written, 
and is fully illustrated by fine geometrical figures, skilfully 
drawn. He was a preacher of good ability, leaning 
towards Arminian views in theology, and preferred practical 
religion to any form of dogmatic speculation. He belonged 
to the liberal school of his time, was thoroughly respected 
by his people, who were firmly attached to him throughout 
his long life. 

In the year 1787 the parish decided to build a new 
meeting-house. The old one had become unfit for longer 
service, and did not answer to the growing needs of the 
people. Mr. Curtis gave one quarter's salary for this pur- 
pose, and also one acre and one quarter of land, which he 
called in his deed a "meeting house spot of land ;" and is 
that now occupied by our church and parsonage. The new 
house was built by Asa Clark, and was to be completed by 
the first of January, 1789. This house was large and high, 
and it had two rows of windows, galleries on three sides, 
a sounding-board, a wing at each end, a large double door 
in front, and three doors in each wing. The building of 
such a house indicates the general prosperity of the parish, 
and that none of the congregation had fallen away under 
the preaching of Mr. Curtis. 

The work of Mr. Curtis, however, had come well on 
towards its end when the new house had been completed ; 
but without any dimming of his natural powers. He died 
November 22, 1797, in his eighty-first year ; and he had 
preached constantly to within a few months of his death. 
He was an active, faithful preacher and pastor. His record 

16 



book shows that during his ministry of fifty-five years he 
baptised 926 persons, married 313 couples, buried 403 
persons, and admitted to church membership 264. The 
memory he left behind him in this town shows how well 
he did his work, and the lasting influence he created. 

We may pause now to say that in 1775 Stoughtonham 
became a full town, and that soon after it made application 
to the General Court to have its name changed to Wash- 
ington. This request was not granted, but in 1783 
permission was given to adopt the name of Sharon. It 
took a very active and honorable part in the Revolutionary 
war, not being surpassed in this regard by any town about 
it. 

Soon after the death of Mr. Curtis the town began to 
seek for a new pastor, which it found in the person of 
Jonathan Whitaker, who was graduated at Harvard in 
1797. The town offered him seven hundred and fifty 
dollars as a settlement, and to pay him semi-annually as a 
salary one hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six and 
a half cents. Mr. Whitaker accepted this offer, and was 
ordained February 27, 1799, the sermon being preached 
by Rev. Abiel Holmes of Cambridge, the father of Dr. 
Oliver Wendell Holmes. It has been said of Mr. Whitaker, 
that he "was a thorough scholar, gifted as a public speaker, 
devoted to his sacred calling, and eminently successful as 
a teacher." He made a marked impression in the town at 
the beginning of his ministry, was regarded with admira- 
tion by his parishioners, and was in favor in other churches. 
The congregations increased and new pews had to be built. 
He bought the house built by Mr. Curtis, married Mary 
Kimball of Bradford, built the L to the parsonage for 
school purposes, and he followed his predecessor in the 
work of preparing boys for college. He taught the public 
school of the town, and a sister of his wife opened a young 
ladies' school in Sharon. He took much interest in farm- 
ing, and he was one of the first to introduce merino sheep 
into the town. He went into the field himself, and took 

17 



an active part in the operations there. Some of his 
neighbors said they had rather work for him for nothing 
than for other people for pay, because he always provided 
rum plentifully for his men. When the invasion of Boston 
was expected during the second war with Great Britain he 
led a company of one hundred of his parishioners to Dor- 
chester Heights, and there assisted in throwing up earth- 
works. From these and other indications it is evident that 
Mr. Whitaker was a high-spirited, earnest man, full of 
resolute purpose, capable of making his way in the world, 
original in his methods, and out-spoken in his convictions. 

A man of so much energy and resolution, in a time of 
great political and religious excitement, when party feeling 
ran high, would almost inevitably come into collision with 
his neighbors, if he gave a free expression to his convic- 
tions. Mr. Whitaker was a Federalist in politics, and he 
was bitter in his denunciations of the Democratic party. 
Unfortunately for him the majority of his parishioners 
were Democrats ; and he expressed his opinions with so 
much vigor that he alienated his best friends. With 
Squire Reynolds, who was a Democrat, and one of the 
leading men of the parish, he had some political controv- 
ersy ; and a business misunderstanding also arose between 
them. When they chanced to meet one day the Squire 
said : "Mr. Whitaker, you are no more fit for a minister, 
than hell is for a powder house." After a moment's reflec- 
tion Mr. Whitaker replied : "Squire Reynolds, you are 
no more fit for a justice of the peace than a chestnut burr 
is for an eyestone." 

These differences of opinion between Mr. Whitaker 
and some of his parishioners led to a desire on their part 
not to employ him in a professional capacity. On one 
occasion one of his strong opponents died, and Mr. Shel- 
don of Faston was called in to attend the funeral. When 
the hour for the service arrived Mr. Whitaker appeared in 
the pulpit, took the hymn-book, crowded in front of Mr. 
Sheldon, and read out this hymn from Dr. Watts : 



Behold the aged sinner go, 
Laden with grief and ev'ry woe. 
Down to the regions of the dead, 
With endless curses on his head. 

Such an act as this, however great the provocation, 
led to a spirit of retaliation on the part of the congregation. 
It was manifested when Thomas P. Richards, a man of 
resolution and strong will, marched into the meeting- 
house one Sunday morning, before the service opened, 
armed with a hammer and a horse-shoe, and proceeded to 
nail up his pew-door, and to fasten the horse-shoe on the 
outside. Then, as he turned to go out of the meeting- 
house he began to sing (and he was a fine singer) from the 
then popular "0de to Science," which was written by J. 
Sumner in 1798-a song which expressed the intense 
American spirit of the Democratic party : 

The British yoke and Gallic chain 
Were urged upon our sires in vain ; 
All haughty tyrants we disdain, 
And shout, long live America, America. 

It is perhaps not possible for us fully to realize the 
bitterness of feeling which existed at that time, growing 
out of political controversies and the unsettled social state 
of the country. One incident connected with Sharon will 
illustrate a condition of party feeling which was very 
wide-spread. When a disease, somewhat simdar to la 
grippe appeared in 181 5 the number of the sick was very 
larcre Although there was an excellent physician in the 
town the Democrats called in the services of a Dr. Mann. 
Soon after there appeared in the Boston Advertiser ^\^X.lcx 
from Sharon highly praising Dr. Mann's skill and his 
eminent success in treating this new disease. It was 
si-ned by the selectmen, and nine others-all Democrats. 
Presently a reply was published, praising Dr. Stone, the 
resident Sharon physician, and signed by Mr. Whitaker 
and several others— all Federalists. 

These anecdotes are not essential to the history ot 
the parish and church, but they very forcibly illustrate the 

19 



temper of those times, and some of the causes which led to 
divisions in many of the chnrches. Mr. Whitaker be- 
longed to the Unitarian party in the Congregational 
churches of his time ; and his attitude in regard to politi- 
cal matters increased whatever opposition there was to 
him on religious grounds. He was probably as outspoken 
in religion as in politics ; and the tendency was for those 
who opposed him in one direction to find causes for oppo- 
sition in the other. The cause of the division was by no 
means wholly political ; hut the strong and bitter party 
feeling in politics gave emphasis to whatever dissent 
there was from Mr. Whitaker's religious teachings. He 
had abandoned all the distinctively Calvinistic doctrines, — 
the deity of Christ, vicarious atonement, miraculous change 
of heart, and the angry wrath of God. 

It was not to be expected that every one would accept 
the new views ; and had there been no other grounds for it 
undoubtedly a religious division would have arisen on 
questions of doctrine. About i8 12 a few persons became 
dissatisfied with the preaching of Mr. Whitaker, and not 
being able to secure the preaching of any other Congre- 
gational minister of more evangelical beliefs they obtained 
that of the Baptist minister in Medfield, Rev. William 
Gammell. He preached in private houses, and in 1813 
organized a small society. Mr. Whitaker strongly opposed 
this movement, and preached a series of sermons against 
it. It slowly grew, however, in part because of his oppo- 
sition, and in part because there was a demand for the 
vigorous doctrines of Calvinism. In 1817 a pastor was 
settled, but the services of the society for many years 
were held in a hall connected with their parsonage, and it 
was not until 1833 that a meeting-house was built. In 
1818, and again in 1831, the Baptist society were given 
the use of the meeting-house of the First Parish for a 
number of months. 

Up to the beginningalmost of the nineteenth century 
the Congregational ministers in New England had enjoyed 



an almost exclusive monopoly of the religious teaching of 
the people. Church and state were closely connected, 
and the town was synonymous with the parish. Changes 
in doctrine had slowly come about, however, and in nearly 
all the churches of eastern Massachusetts Calvinism had 
been quietly outgrown by many persons. Children were 
catechised and taught by the minister, and admitted to 
church membership without any special religious experi- 
ence such as had once been thought necessary. The new 
methods not being acceptable to all persons it was inevi- 
table that societies keeping more closely to the old doc- 
trines and methods should be organized. It is not 
surprising, however, that the ministers who had had com- 
plete rule in the churches, and no opposition, should resent 
any intrusion upon their special domain, and should seek 
to prevent it in many ways. Their position was very 
different from anything that exists now, and it was not so 
easy for them to submit to changes which are now fully in 
the order of things. 

The opposition to Mr. Whitaker increased until it 
took the form of an effort to secure his resignation or dis- 
missal. In October, 1815, a committee was appointed to 
confer with him in regard to his leaving the town, but he 
refused to give the subject any consideration. When he 
was informed that a majority of the people were opposed 
to him, he listened to their statements. The town then 
voted to discontinue him as the minister, but this was not 
legal, and was wholly ineffective. Then Mr. Whitaker 
proposed to call a council of ministers and churches to 
consider the question ; but to this action the town would 
not consent. Acting on the advice of the church, Mr. 
Whitaker determined in November that he would call a 
council to consider his relations to the town ; and the 
town finally decided to join with him in calling a mutual 
council. This council met in the town in December, 
heard the case on both sides, and advised that Mr. 
Whitaker ask for a dismissal. February 21, 1816, he 



ceased his connection with the church, the town paying 
him the sum of tive hundred dollars. After leaving Sharon 
Mr. Whitaker settled in New Bedford, where he also 
taught an Academy. In 1823 he went to South Carolina 
as a teacher, and then taught and preached in Ogdetisburg 
and Henrietta, New York. While the principal of the 
Monroe Academy in Henrietta, he died, in 1835. 

Mr. Whitaker sold his house in Sharon to David 
Manley, in 18 19. Manley died the next year, and his 
widow occupied the house until 1827, when she sold it to 
Mrs. Nancy Gould, then it was owned by a Mr. Esty, and 
it is now known as "the Pollard house." 

In 18 1 7 an invitation was extended to Rev. Thomas 
Rich to take the place made vacant by the withdrawal of 
Mr. Whitaker. Owing to poor health he was not able to 
accept this invitation. The controversy begun under Mr. 
Whitaker concerning doctrines now became earnest, and 
two parties grew up in the town, one Unitarian and the 
other Orthodox. Under this condition of things no min- 
ister was called for until the differences existing had led 
to the formation of another society. In 1821 those who 
were not satisfied with the Unitarian attitude of the 
majority of the parish withdrew, and formed the "Christian 
Society." During that year the old parish called Rev. 
Samuel Brimblecom to be its minister, and the new 
society called Rev. Joseph B. Felt. Mr. Brimblecom was 
ordained on the i8th of December, and Mr. Felt on the 
19th. The spirit of controversy did not quickly subside, 
however, and various small matters continued to keep alive 
the feeling of bitterness and rivalry. The deacons of the 
church joining the new society carried with them the 
church records and communion service, and on their re- 
fusal to return them the controversy grew warmer. When 
the meeting-house of the Christian Society was destroyed 
by fire probably both records and communion service 
were consumed with it. 

Out of this action in regard to the baptismal and com- 
22 



munion service grew an amusing incident. When a son 
of Jonathan Cobb was presented September 23, 1828, at 
the old meeting-house for baptism, application was made 
to the Orthodox Society for the use of the christening 
basin. It was promised, but at last refused. A pudding- 
dish was borrowed, and used in its stead. 

These controversies of the past, real and vital to those 
who took part in them, must seem to us not wholly justi- 
fied on either side, for while most of the men and women 
concerned acted conscientiously, the outcome has not been 
good for the community or helpful to the growth of 
Christian charity. In these days we have found a better 
way ; the way of Christian union, and the active co-opera- 
tion of all for the advancement of righteousness and truth 
in the world. 

It is very easy to understand one effect of such a con- 
troversy as this, however sincere and truth-seeking the 
disputants may have been. In 18 10 the town was united 
in one church, the meeting-house was full every Sunday, 
and the religious interests of the town were faithfully 
administered. In 1820 three societies existed, each of 
them small, not one of them strCitig enough to support a 
minister, and with bitter rivalries existing between them. 
Probably each alike was at fault for the existence of this 
state of things, but whoever was to blame the crippling 
effect of it has been felt deeply in the town from that day 
to this. The work that might have been well done by 
one religious society has been poorly done by three. The 
energies which ought to have been given to education, 
charity and Christian helpfulness have been used in keep- 
ing alive three struggling societies. Are we yet ready to 
profit by the mistakes of the past.'' The history we have 
been looking into ought to teach us the folly of religious 
controversy. 

The population of Sharon in 1820 was not far from 
one thousand, and this number of persons was called upon 
to support three churches. As a result we find frequent 



changes in ministers in all of the societies. Mr. Brimble- 
com remained in the town until 1826. He was succeeded 
by Rev. Jacob Norton in 1829, who remained for two 
years. The meeting-house having become old and too 
large for the congregation, the present house was built in 
1842. At this time the old controversy was renewed in 
the form of a claim that the town owned the old meeting- 
house and the church land ; but it was ascertained that 
the town had no claim of this kind. Of a more interesting 
character are the lines written when the old house was 
destroyed, by Mr. Jeremiah Gould, then one of the most 
active workers in the parish. He cleverly parodied George 
P. Morris' "Woodman, Spare that Tree," jn his 

LAMENT FOR THE OLD CHURCH IN SHARON. 

Workman, the old church spare. 

I pray thee, spare thy blows. 
In youth I worshipped there. 

There in that ancient house. 
'Twas our forefathers' hands 

That reared its sacred wall. 
There, workman, let it stand; 

I would not see it fall. 

That old familiar desk. 

Whose glory and renown, 
Is spread from east to west; 

And wouldst thou take it down .'' 
Workman, forbear thy blows; 

Rend not its oaken ties. 
O spare that ancient house, 

Now towering to the skies. 

When but a little boy 

I trod its sacred shades ; 
In thankfulness and joy. 

There I oft have prayed. 
My mother led me there, 

My father pressed my hand ; 
Forgive this foolish tear. 

But let that old house stand. 

But why lament its fall. 
Its glory' is passed away ; 
24 



Its steeple and its wall 

Are marked with sad decay. 
Tho' doomed to disappear, 

Another will take its place. 
Still, I can't stay the tear 

That's trickling on my face. 

The building of a meeting-house gave new life to the 
Unitarian parish, for Samuel Pettes was ordained May 8. 
1844, the sermon being preached by Dr. Lothrop of 
Boston. At this time the number of church members was 
twelve, which was soon after increased by nine. Mr. 
Pettes was the pastor until 1847, when he was succeeded 
by Rev. James L. Stone, who remained four years and a 
half. September 22, 1852, Thomas Hills Pons was or- 
dained, the sermon being preached by Rev. Convers 
Francis. He remained a little more than a year, and was 
succeeded in 1854 by Rev. Norwood Damon, who was the 
minister for two years. With the first of January, 1857, 
Rev. C. C. Sewall began a connection with the parish 
which lasted for five years. Beginning in 1868 Rev. 
George W. Stacy was the minister for two years and a 
half. Mr Tyndall, Mr. Wills and Mr. Todd succeeded 
during the next few years. In 1881 Rev. William C. 
White began his connection with the parish, and he was 
succeeded by Rev. C. C. Carpenter and Rev. N. P. Gil- 
man. The present pastorate began in October, 1887, and 
has already lasted longer than any since 1862. [It con- 
tinued until November, 1891]. In October, 1888, the Sun- 
nay School was re-organized, and a Unity Club was 
formed during the same month. 



P^or the last seventy years this parish has had many 
things with which to contend ;— a number of churches too 
great for the population of the town, the removal of near- 
\y all its young life to other localities, the dying out of 
old and once prosperous families, and the lessening of 
business in the town, owing to its concentration in large 

25 



towns and cities. In recent years a more prosperous out- 
look has come, with the increase of population, and the 
adoption of new methods. By unity of purpose, charity 
in regard to minor details, and sympathetic co-operation 
for the common good, this parish may revive to all its old 
activity and usefulness. It has done a good work in the 
past, and by the right motives and means it can do good 
work in the future. 

Our fathers believed in God, in duty, and in immortal- 
ity; and therefore they wrought faithfully and well. It is 
not for us to mourn because the devotion and unity they 
enjoyed are not ours, but to work in the present time in 
such a manner that what ought to be done shall be done 
at our hands. It is not size of congregation which makes 
the worth of religion, but fidelity to the inward spirit, and 
lowly listening to the eternal voice. It is not a large salary 
which gives life to a church, but unity of pur]:)Ose, harmony 
of feeling, and a common aim towards purity of life. 

No good can come from this recital of the history of 
our parish unless we gain from it greater faith in the 
things for which it has ever stood, and more of earnest 
desire that we ourselves may realize those things of the 
spirit of life which enter into men to make them wise in 
conduct. The true lessons of the past will come to us 
only when we face the future with hope and loyalty, with 
resolution and courage. Here is good work to be done, 
if we will put our hands to it, work together as one man 
for humanity, and for that Divine Life which is mighty to 
help all who labor in the spirit of love and truth. If we 
sit still because we are few, others will press towards the 
goal, to win the prize of having served their fellows. If 
we have not faith in the great eternal verities of life, so 
that they lay hold upon us with a mighty power of con- 
viction, others will do what we have not courage to 
accomplish. 

Very precious things of faith and life have been 
given us as our heritage, and these we are not willing to 

26 



lose. True and precious souls have gone before us, who 
have walked with God in duty and love ; and these we 
will follow after as best we can. The things which have 
lifted them above the pain and discontent of life, to 
glorious heights of spiritual vision, where all that is pure 
and righteous abides forever, shall be ours, that we also 
may be as a light set on a hill to those who are to come 
after us. We are not to mourn for the past but to labor 
for that future which is to belong: to our children. 



27 



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